Dolomites best hike with spectacular views?

My husband and I had this conversation last week while staying in Ortisei: what is the ONE hike in the area you would recommend to someone? It is the Hans & Paula Steger Trail across the Alpe di Siusi. Are you driving from Germany and back? It looks like a very long trp from Mittenwald....

This hike will take from 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on your speed. (We are not THE slowest, but are far from the fastest hikers and we took 3.5 hours plus a lunch stop of an hour.) The lift from Seis-Alpe di Siusi/Seiseralm runs until November 2, You can take this lift up to Compatsch, hike, take a bus from the end of the hike at Saltria back to Compatsch and the lift down. If you have car, park at the lift station. If you have to arrive by bus, there are many. I can help you if/when you decide. If you choose this magnificent hike, you can even stay in the Alpe di Siusi at Saltria, or down in Castlerotto.

Many lifts close earlier in the season: late Sept to Oct 9 is common. If you are there before Oct 9, there are a couple of other options we like. One is the Rasciesa Ridge above Ortisei, reached by funicular. You can hike for an hour or four-five hours up there. You could stay easily in Ortisei.

The mountains are very weather dependent and fickle. The forecast may show rain but it will be fine until 14:00-15:00. It may show sun and pour at Noon, so check weather often and prepare for anything!

Thank you for the advice...we are driving, and just wanted to add this area to our Alps hiking trip. We will look at your recommendation. Have you been to the Forcella Pana? Not sure how far we would go, but that is something I was looking at as it seems like a beautiful ridge. Think we may stay near Cortina to get a good start on the road the next day.

There isn't a single best hike, a lot of them would be worth your time. Considering your itinerary, my favorite one would be taking the cable car from Passo Sella to Rifugio Demetz, then descending to base station doing a circular route around Sassolungo. As this hike is quite high in elevation - you cannot go much higher than Demetz by simple hiking, it is a base for climbing - good weather is necessary. Some photos:

http://www.miavalgardena.it/articoli/escursione-val-gardena-forcella-sassolungo.html

Would you like to use Cortina as a base, the route Mittenwald - Innsbruck - Bressanone - Dobbiaco - Cortina is faster than you think as it is has not steep passes.

Sassolungo looks awesome too...thank you for the tip!

Definitely check on those cable car hours of operation, it seems like the Dolomites will be slow in October until ski season starts.
All lifts in Cortina shut down early Sept I believe so won't be open in October. Outside of Cortina, the one to Rifugio Lagazoui is probably the closest open lift that remains open late in the year.

As far as what to do it, it largely depends on how much you want to hike and the weather.
Around Cortina, Tre Cime is one to look at.

I think this would quality as the one hike with the most spectacular views. It is probably the most famous. It is a loop trail that goes around the 3 peaks. Some rate as easy, others hard and is about 4 hours of hiking to make the loop. You don't take a lift to it, you drive on an expensive toll road and hike from a parking lot at the end of it.
Some don't like the crowds that go on a nice day and how the path is more of a road for most of it, but in October the crowds should be less especially if not a weekend and the easy path is welcome news for some.

Around Ortisei you will find the lifts open later and may work for your dates. Definitely double check that though.
From their you can reach Alpe Di Suisi on one side which looks like a more relaxing hike on an alpine plateau or for up close look at peaks take a look at Seceda on the other side, also reached by Cable Car from Ortisei. The view looks quite spectacular at Seceda with little to no effort required.

If you decide on Tre Cime, stay in Cortina.
If you decide on one of the hikes/lifts from Ortisei, stay in Ortisei.

The lift from Passo Sella to Rifugio Toni Demetz (we call them the "refrigerators") closes Oct. 2.

As to the Forcella Pana, that requires the Seceda lift (or the one at Col Raiser|) which are open through Oct. 9. It is a beautiful hike across the meadow from Seceda to Col Raiser via Firenze Hut. Or do you mean to descend to Brogles? That is a very rugged path. There is a picture (#10) in this link showing an ascent to the actual Forcella Pana. I think this is the way down to Brogles but we haven't done it. Looking over the cliff was enough for me.

When planning an hike in Dolomites please consider: your fitness (do not plan more ascending trails than you can actually manage); your equipment (good boots are a safety measure on rugged trails); weather (if the weather is not good don't even leave, and always consider the possibility of weather getting suddenly bad).

Picture #10 looks like a via ferrata, with steps and a safety steel cord. You should have appropriate equipment - the most basic being two ropes ending in carabiner hooks so you can secure yourself to the safety cord. An helmet may not be a bad idea. Remember that unprepared hikers are a danger to themselves and to other people (above all on vie ferrate).

The hike I suggested to rifugio Demetz, for example, needs good boots as you will be walking in a sort of lunar landscape of rocks for a long time. If you do not have boots do not worry about the best hike and stick to lower elevations - that still have beautiful landscapes

lachera makes excellent points about the equipment. I agree picture #10 is a via ferrata and when I looked down from the notch at Forcella Pana I could not believe anyone walked down that way. Certainly I am not up to it!

You can do the Hans & Paula Steger Trail without boots or pole. The views are spectacular for an easy hike. The hike from Seceda to Col Raiser is also pretty sane although I prefer good soles and trekking poles for steep downhill sections.

Thank you for your advice everyone... we were not thinking of doing steep climbing...but knowing the lift is open at Seceda -- that hike at Col Raiser looks beautiful, so perhaps that may be what we aim for. Really looking forward to seeing that area!

The Mont Seuc/Seiser Alm cable car runs until the first of November. This goes from Ortisei to the Seiser Alm/Alpe di Siusi.

The Lagazoui, at the Falzarego Pass, is open til mid October.

FYI, the Dolomite Passes are, in my opinion, more spectacular drives than the Grossglockner. Not that the Grossglockner isn't good, but if you're right there, at least drive the Gardena Pass, between the Val Gardena and the Alta Badia. This is on your way anyway.

In the Val Gardena we liked:
www.garniariston.com

In the Alta Badia we loved:
www.montanara.it

By the way, we LOVE Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden. Have stayed many times. Mittenwald is another favorite of ours:)

Paul

The hike around the Drei Zinnen / Tre Cime is a lovely day hike with spectacular views.
Anything up on the Seiser Alm has great views.
The hikes around the Langkofell Gruppe are very nice.

Thanks again everyone...still working on narrowing down to that 'one hike' in the Dolomites, ha! No easy task... and I still am figuring out where to hike in Austria and Bavaria that week as well, sigh...

Paul, yes we are definitely driving through the passes like Val Gardena...I heard those were spectactular, and we are right there, so definitely going to make sure we drive all through there for sure.

We are waffling about staying between Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden or Schonau am Konigssee. I know we will visit Ramsau regardless either way and planning to hike somewhere around Ramsau as well.

This narrowing things down is proving to be my most difficult task of this trip so far. I thought packing for just carryon would be...but now that is 'in the bag' literally and all practiced and good to go while I am still figuring out just where to hike this last week of our two week trip!

on paul's advice we stayed in Berchtesgaden. great advice.
we had a car and visited Ramsau, its a very small town. when we were there it was very quiet.
we liked the idea of staying near Berchtesgaden better, as it had more shops etc and restaurant options. we also went to konigssee. its only just down the road from Berchtesgaden. hence why Berchtesgaden was a great base for seeing things in this beautiful and interesting area.
we are planning on going back next year.

hope this helps.

Hi again,

Both Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden and Schonau am Konigsee are beautiful places to base. I give the edge to Ramsau. We have stayed in both places a few times. They are less than 15 minutes from each other.

We stayed here 3 times (10/06, 10/07, 9/09):
www.mayringerlehen.de

We stayed here twice, as the above was closed in November (11/10, 11/13):
www.friedwiese.de/enska/isl.htm

Either way you can't go wrong :)

Paul